God manifests His deeds among all things, and among all things He rules over and controls the laws of all things. We just talked about how God rules over the laws of all things as well as how He provides for and nurtures all of mankind under those laws. This is one aspect. Next, we are going to talk about another aspect, which is one way that God uses to have control over everything. I am speaking of how, after creating all things, God balanced the relationships between them. This is also rather a large topic for you. Balancing the relationships between all things—is this something that people can accomplish? No, humans are incapable of such a feat. People are capable only of destruction. They cannot balance the relationships between all things; they cannot manage them, and such great authority and power are beyond the grasp of mankind. Only God Himself has the power to do this kind of thing. But what is God’s purpose in doing such a thing—what is it for? This too is closely related to mankind’s survival. Every single thing that God wants to do is necessary—there is nothing that He may or may not do. In order for Him to safeguard the survival of mankind and give people a favorable environment for survival, there are some indispensable, vital things that He must do.

From the literal meaning of the phrase, “God balances all things,” it seems a very sweeping topic. First, it provides people with the concept that “balancing all things” also refers to God’s mastery over all things. What does this word, “balance,” mean? First, “balance” refers to not allowing something to fall out of balance. It is like using scales to weigh things. In order to balance the scales, the weight upon each side must be the same. God created many different types of things: things that are set in their place, things that move, things that are living, things that are breathing, as well as things that do not breathe. Is it easy for all these things to achieve a relationship of interdependence, of interconnectedness, where they both reinforce each other and keep each other in check? There certainly are principles within all of this, but they are very complicated, are they not? It is not difficult for God, but for people it is a very complicated matter to study. It is a very simple word, “balance.” However, if people were to study it, and if people needed to create balance by themselves, then even if all kinds of academics were working on it—human biologists, astronomers, physicists, chemists and even historians—what would the ultimate outcome of that research be? Its outcome would be nothing. This is because God’s creation of all things is too incredible, and mankind will never unlock its secrets. When God created all things, He established principles between them, established different ways of survival for mutual restraint, complementarity, and sustenance. These various methods are very intricate, and they are certainly not simple or unidirectional. When people use their minds, the knowledge they have gained, and the phenomena they have observed to confirm or study the principles behind God’s control over all things, these things are extremely difficult to discover, and it is also very difficult to achieve any outcome. It is very hard for people to get any results; it is very difficult for people to maintain their balance when relying on human thinking and knowledge to govern all the things of God’s creation. This is because if people do not know the principles of survival of all things, they will not know how to safeguard this type of balance. So, if people were to manage and govern all things, they would be very likely to destroy this balance. As soon as the balance was destroyed, mankind’s environments for survival would be destroyed, and when that happened, it would be followed by a crisis for the survival of mankind. It would bring about a disaster. If humanity is living amidst disaster, what would their future be? The outcome would be very difficult to assess, and impossible to predict with certainty.

So, how does God balance the relationships between all things? First, there are some places in the world that are covered with ice and snow year-round, while in some other places, all four seasons are like spring, and winter never comes, and in places like this, you will never see so much as a patch of ice or a single snowflake. Here, we are speaking about the larger climate, and this example is one of the ways in which God balances the relationships between all things. The second way is this: A range of mountains are covered in lush vegetation, with all kinds of plants carpeting the ground, and swaths of forest so dense that when you walk through them you cannot even see the sun above. But looking at another range of mountains, there is not even a single blade of grass growing, just layer upon layer of barren, unkempt mountains. In outward appearance, both types are basically great piles of dirt stacked up to form mountains, but one is covered in dense forest, while the other is devoid of growth, without even a blade of grass. This is the second way that God balances the relationships between all things. The third way is this: Looking one way, you might see endless grasslands, a field of waving green. Looking the other way, you might see desert as far as the eye can see, barren, without a single living thing amidst the hissing wind-blown sand, much less any source of water. The fourth way is this: Looking one way, everything is submerged under the sea, that great body of water, while looking the other way, you are hard-pressed to find even a drop of fresh spring water. The fifth way is this: In the land over here, drizzling rain is frequent and the climate is foggy and damp, while in the land over there, a fierce sun often hangs in the sky, and it is a rare event when even a single drop of rain falls. The sixth way is this: In one place there is a plateau where the air is thin and it is difficult for man to breathe, while in another place there are swamps and lowlands, which serve as habitats for various types of migratory birds. These are different types of climates, or they are climates or environments that correspond to different geographical environments. That is to say, God balances mankind’s basic environments for survival in terms of the large-scale environment, from the climate to the geographical environment, and from the different components of the soil to the number of water sources, all in order to achieve a balance in the air, temperature and humidity of the environments that people survive in. Because of these contrasting geographical environments, people have stable air, and the temperature and humidity of the different seasons remain stable. This allows people to continue to live in that kind of environment for survival just as they always have. First, the large-scale environment must be balanced. This is done through the utilization of different geographical locations and formations as well as the changes between different climates which allow them to limit and check each other in order to achieve the balance that God wants and that mankind requires. This is speaking from the perspective of the large-scale environment.

Now we will speak about the finer details, such as vegetation. How is their balance achieved? That is to say, how can vegetation be enabled to continue to survive within a balanced environment for survival? The answer is, by managing the lifespan, growth rates, and reproduction rates of various types of plants to safeguard their environment for survival. Let us take the tiny grasses as an example—there are spring shoots, summer blooms, and autumn fruit. The fruit falls to the ground. The next year, the seed from the fruit sprouts and continues according to the same laws. The lifespan of the grass is very short; every seed falls to the ground, grows roots and sprouts, blooms and produces fruit, and the entire process is complete after only three seasons—spring, summer, and fall. Trees of all kinds also have their own lifespans and different periods for sprouting and fruiting. Some trees die after just 30 to 50 years—this is their lifespan. But their fruit falls to the ground, which then grows roots and sprouts, flowers and bears fruit, and lives for another 30 to 50 years. This is its rate of recurrence. An old tree dies and a young tree grows; this is why you can always see trees growing in the forest. But they also have their normal cycle and processes of birth and death. Some trees can live for over a thousand years, and some can even live for three thousand years. No matter what type of plant it is or how long its lifespan, generally speaking, God manages its balance based on how long it lives, its ability to reproduce, its speed and frequency of reproduction and the amount of offspring it produces. This allows plants, from the grasses to the trees, to be able to continue to thrive and grow within a balanced ecological environment. So when you look at a forest on earth, everything that grows within it, grasses and trees both, are continuously reproducing and growing according to their own laws. They do not need any additional labor or help from mankind. It is only because they have this kind of balance that they are able to maintain their own environment for survival. It is only because they have a suitable environment for survival that the world’s forests and grasslands are able to continue to survive on earth. Their existence nurtures generation after generation of people as well as generation after generation of all sorts of living things with habitats in the forests and the grasslands—birds and beasts, insects, and all kinds of microorganisms.

God also controls the balance between all kinds of animals. How does He control this balance? It is similar to plants—He manages their balance and determines their numbers based on their ability to reproduce, their quantity and frequency of reproduction and the roles they play in the animal world. For example, lions eat zebras, so if the number of lions exceeded the number of zebras, what would the fate of the zebras be? They would become extinct. And if zebras produced far fewer offspring than the lions, what would their fate be? They would also become extinct. So, the number of zebras must be far greater than the number of lions. This is because zebras do not only exist for themselves, but they also exist for the lions. You could also put it this way: Every zebra is one part of the entirety of zebras, but it is also food for the lions’ mouths. Lions’ speed of reproduction can never outstrip that of the zebras, so their numbers can never be greater than the zebras’ numbers. Only in this way can the lions’ food source be guaranteed. And so, even though lions are natural enemies of zebras, people frequently see the two species resting at leisure within the same area. Zebras will never be reduced in number or go extinct because of lions hunting and eating them, and lions will never increase their numbers because of their status as “king.” This balance is something that God established long ago. That is, God established laws of balance between all animals so that they can achieve this kind of balance, and this is something that people often see. Are lions the only natural enemies of zebras? No, crocodiles also eat zebras. Zebras seem to be a very helpless type of animal. They do not have the ferocity of lions, and when facing a lion, this formidable enemy, all they can do is run. They are powerless even to resist. When they cannot outrun the lion, they can only allow themselves to be eaten by it. This can be seen frequently in the animal world. What feelings and thoughts do you have when you see this kind of thing? Do you feel sorry for the zebra? Do you detest the lion? The zebras look so beautiful! But the lions, they are always eyeing them greedily. And foolishly, the zebras do not run far. They see the lion there waiting for them in the cool shade under a tree. It could come and eat them at any moment. They know this in their hearts, but still they will not leave that piece of land. This is a wondrous thing, a wondrous thing which manifests God’s predestination and His rule. You feel sorry for the zebra but you are unable to save it, and you detest the lion but you cannot destroy it. The zebra is food that God has prepared for the lion, but no matter how many the lions eat, the zebras will not be wiped out. The number of offspring that lions produce is very small, and they reproduce very slowly, so no matter how many zebras they eat, their numbers will never surpass those of the zebras. In this, there is balance.

What is God’s goal in maintaining this kind of balance? This has to do with people’s environments for survival as well as the survival of mankind. If zebras, or any similar prey of a lion—deer or other animals—reproduce too slowly and the number of lions sharply increases, what kind of danger would human beings face? Lions eating their prey is a normal phenomenon, but a lion eating a person is a tragedy. This tragedy is not something predestined by God, it is not something that occurs under His rule, much less something He has brought upon mankind. Rather, it is something that people bring upon themselves. So as God sees it, the balance between all things is crucial for the survival of mankind. Whether it be plants or animals, nothing can lose its proper balance. Plants, animals, mountains, and lakes—God has prepared for mankind a regular ecological environment. Only when people have this kind of ecological environment—a balanced one—is their survival secure. If trees or grasses had a poor ability to reproduce or their speed of reproduction was very slow, would the soil not lose its moisture? If the soil lost its moisture, would it still be healthy? If the soil lost its vegetation and its moisture, it would erode very quickly, and sand would form in its place. When the soil deteriorated, people’s environment for survival would also be destroyed. Many disasters would accompany this destruction. Without this kind of ecological balance, without this type of ecological environment, people would frequently suffer from disasters due to imbalances between all things. For example, when there is an environmental imbalance leading to the destruction of frogs’ ecological environment, they all gather together, their numbers sharply increase, and people even see large numbers of frogs crossing the streets in cities. If large numbers of frogs occupied people’s environment for survival, what would that be called? A disaster. Why would it be called a disaster? These small animals that are beneficial for mankind are useful for people when they remain in a place that is suitable for them; they can maintain the balance of people’s environment for survival. But if they become a disaster, they will impact the orderliness of people’s lives. All the things and all the elements that frogs bring along with them on their bodies can impact people’s quality of life. They can even cause people’s physical organs to be attacked—this is one of the kinds of disasters. Another kind of disaster, which is something that humans have experienced frequently, is the appearance of great numbers of locusts. Is this not a disaster? Yes, it truly is a frightening disaster. It does not matter how capable humans may be—people can make airplanes, cannons, and atomic bombs—when the locusts invade, what solution does mankind have? Can they use cannons on them? Can they shoot them with machine guns? No, they cannot. Then can they spray pesticides to drive them out? That is no easy task, either. What do those tiny locusts come to do? They specifically eat crops and grains. Wherever locusts go, crops are completely obliterated. In times of a locust invasion, all the food that farmers rely upon for an entire year could be entirely consumed by the locusts in the blink of an eye. For humans, the arrival of locusts is not only an irritation—it is a disaster. So, we know that the appearance of great numbers of locusts is a type of disaster, but what about mice? If there are no birds of prey to eat mice, then they will multiply very rapidly, more rapidly than you can even imagine. And if mice spread unchecked, can humans lead good lives? What kind of situation would humans be confronted with? (An epidemic.) But do you think an epidemic would be the only consequence? Mice will chew on anything, and they will even gnaw on wood. If there are just two mice in one house, they will be a nuisance to everyone who lives there. Sometimes they steal oil and eat it, and sometimes they eat the bread or cereals. And the things that they do not eat they just chew up and turn them into a complete mess. They chew on clothing, shoes, furniture—they chew on everything. Sometimes they will climb up onto the cupboard—can those dishes still be used after mice have trodden on them? Even if you do disinfect them you still will not feel at ease, so you just throw them out. These are the annoyances that mice bring to people. Though mice are tiny creatures, people have no way of dealing with them, and instead just have to put up with their depredations. Just a single pair of mice is enough to cause a serious disturbance, let alone a great horde of them. If their numbers were to swell and they became a disaster, the consequences would be unthinkable. Even creatures as tiny as ants could become a disaster. If that were to happen, the damage they would do to mankind could also not be ignored. Ants can cause so much damage to houses that they collapse. Their strength must not be overlooked. Would it not be frightening if different kinds of birds created a disaster? (Yes.) To put it another way, whenever animals or living things, no matter what kind they are, lose their balance, they will grow, reproduce, and live within an abnormal scope, an irregular scope. That would bring unimaginable consequences to mankind. That would not only impact people’s survival and lives, but it would also bring disaster to mankind, even to the point of people suffering the fate of complete annihilation and extinction.

When God created all things, He used all sorts of methods and ways to balance them, to balance the living conditions of the mountains and lakes, of the plants and all kinds of animals, birds, and insects. His goal was to allow all kinds of living beings to live and multiply under the laws that He had established. None of the things of creation can go outside of these laws, and the laws cannot be broken. Only within this type of basic environment can humans safely survive and multiply, generation after generation. If any living creature goes beyond the quantity or scope established by God, or if it exceeds the growth rate, reproduction frequency, or number dictated by Him, mankind’s environment for survival would suffer varying degrees of destruction. And at the same time, mankind’s survival would be threatened. If one type of living creature is too great in number, it will rob people of their food, destroy people’s water sources, and ruin their homelands. That way, mankind’s reproduction or state of survival would be immediately impacted. For example, water is very important for all things. If there are too many mice, ants, locusts, frogs, or any kind of other animal, they will drink more water. As the amount of water they drink increases, people’s drinking water and water sources within the fixed scope of sources of drinking water and aqueous areas will be reduced and they will experience water shortages. If people’s drinking water is destroyed, contaminated, or is cut off because all kinds of animals have increased in number, under that kind of harsh environment for survival, mankind’s survival will be seriously threatened. If just one type or several types of living beings exceed their appropriate number, then the air, temperature, humidity, and even the composition of the air within mankind’s space for survival will be poisoned and destroyed to varying degrees. Under these circumstances, humans’ survival and fate will also be subject to the threats posed by these ecological factors. So, if these balances are lost, the air that people breathe will be ruined, the water that they drink will be contaminated, and the temperatures that they require will also change and be impacted to varying degrees. If that happens, the environments for survival that inherently belong to mankind will be subject to enormous impacts and challenges. In this type of scenario where humans’ basic environments for survival have been destroyed, what would mankind’s fate and prospects be? This is a very serious problem! Because God knows for what reason each of the things of creation exists for the sake of mankind, what the role is of every type of thing that He created, what kind of impact each thing has on mankind, and to what degree it benefits mankind, because in God’s heart there is a plan for all of this and He manages every single aspect of all the things that He created, that is why every single thing that He does is so important and necessary for mankind. So from now on, whenever you observe some ecological phenomenon among the things of God’s creation, or some natural law at play among the things of God’s creation, you will no longer be doubtful of the necessity of every single thing created by God. You will no longer use ignorant words to make arbitrary judgments on God’s arrangements of all things and His various ways of providing for mankind. Nor will you come to arbitrary conclusions about God’s laws for all the things of His creation. Is this not the case?

What is all of this that we have just been talking about? Think about it for a moment. God has His own intention in every single thing that He does. Even though His intention is inscrutable to humans, it is always inextricably and powerfully related to mankind’s survival. It is absolutely indispensable. This is because God has never done anything that is futile. The principles behind every single thing that He does are infused with His plan and His wisdom. The goal and intention behind that plan are for the protection of mankind, to help mankind avert disaster, the depredations of other living beings, and any kind of harm to humans caused by any of the things of God’s creation. So could it be said that the deeds of God which we have seen within this topic constitute another way in which God provides for mankind? Could we say that, through these deeds, God is feeding and shepherding mankind? (Yes.) Is there a strong relationship between this topic and the theme of our fellowship: “God Is the Source of Life for All Things”? (Yes.) There is a very strong relationship, and this topic is one aspect of that. Before talking about these topics, people only had some vague imagination of God, of God Himself and His deeds—they lacked true understanding. However, when people are told about His deeds and the things He has done, they can understand and comprehend the principles of what God does and they can gain understanding of them and come within reach of them. Even though in God’s heart there are all kinds of very complicated theories, principles, and rules whenever He does anything, like creating and ruling over all things, is it not possible for you to gain understanding in your hearts that these are God’s deeds and that they are as real as can be, just by letting you learn about a single part of them in fellowship? (Yes.) Then how is your current understanding of God different from before? It is different in its substance. Before, your understanding was too hollow, too vague, but now your understanding contains a great deal of concrete evidence to match God’s deeds, to match what God has and is. Therefore, all that I have said is wonderful educational material for your understanding of God.

—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God Himself, the Unique IX